Petunia plant named ‘PEHY0053’

ABSTRACT

A new Petunia plant named ‘PEHY0053’ particularly distinguished by its large sized, purple-red flowers, medium early flowering and mounding plant habit.

Latin name of the genus and species of the plant claimed: Petunia hybrida.

Varietal denomination: ‘PEHY0053’.

BACKGROUND OF THE NEW PLANT

The present invention comprises a new Petunia, botanically known as Petunia hybrida, and hereinafter referred to by the variety name ‘PEHY0053’.

‘PEHY0053’ is a product of a planned breeding program. The new cultivar has large sized, purple-red flowers, medium early flowering and a mounding plant habit.

‘PEHY0053’ originated from a hybridization made in October 2015 in a controlled breeding environment in Enkhuizen, The Netherlands. The female parent was the variety ‘Sanguna White Improved’ (not patented in US). Compared to ‘PEHY0053’, it has a bit more trailing plant habit, has a more flat flower shape, is later flowering and has a white flower color.

The male parent of ‘PEHY0053’ was the unpatented proprietary selection ‘BA0065-1V’; a plant with somewhat smaller flowers, earlier flowering, a bit more upright plant habit, and a burgundy-red flower color.

The resulting seeds were sown in January 2016. ‘PEHY0053’ was selected as one flowering plant within the progeny of the stated cross in May 2016 in a controlled environment in Enkhuizen, The Netherlands.

The first act of asexual reproduction of ‘PEHY0053’ was accomplished when vegetative stem cuttings were propagated from the initial selection in June 2016 in a controlled environment in Enkhuizen, The Netherlands.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF INVENTION

Horticultural examination of plants grown from cuttings of the plant initiated in June 2016 and continuing thereafter, has demonstrated that the combination of characteristics as herein disclosed for ‘PEHY0053’ are firmly fixed and are retained through successive generations of asexual reproduction.

‘PEHY0053’ has not been observed under all possible environmental conditions. The phenotype may vary significantly with variations in environment such as temperature, light intensity, and day length.

Plant Breeder's Rights for this cultivar were applied for in the European Union on Jul. 16, 2021, No. 2021/1885 and in Canada on Aug. 4, 2021, No. 21-10693. ‘PEHY0053’ has not been made publicly available prior to the effective filing date of this application, notwithstanding any disclosure that may have been made less than one year prior to the effective filing date of this application by the inventor or another who obtained ‘PEHY0053’ directly from the inventor.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be basic characteristics of the new variety. The combination of these characteristics distinguishes this Petunia as a new and distinct variety.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying photographic drawings show typical flower and foliage characteristics of ‘PEHY0053’ with colors being as true as possible with an illustration of this type. The photographic drawings show in FIG. 1 a flowering plant of the new variety and in FIG. 2 a close-up of the flowers.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photographs were taken in May 2020 from plants growing indoor in 12 cm pots in Andijk, The Netherlands. These plants were approximately 12 weeks of age.

The plant descriptions and measurements were taken in September 2021 in Enkhuizen, The Netherlands on approximately 12 week old plants that were growing in containers.

Color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart (R.H.S.) 2001.

TABLE 1 DIFFERENCES BETWEEN THE NEW VARIETY ‘PEHY0053’ AND A SIMILAR VARIETY ‘Sanguna Salmon’ (not ‘PEHY0053’ patented) Plant habit: Mounding Mounding to trailing Flower color: Purple-red Purple-red with salmon shade Flower shape: Bit cup shaped Rather flat Colour corolla tube Dark color Light color, almost (inside): white

-   Plant:     -   -   Form, growth and habit.—Mounding plant habit.         -   Plant height.—27 cm.         -   Plant height (inflorescence included).—30 cm.         -   Plant diameter (width).—Approximately 36 cm. -   Roots:     -   -   Number of days to initiate and produce roots.—16 days at             about 22° C.         -   Type.—Fine, fibrous, free branching.         -   Color.—RHS N158D. -   Foliage:     -   -   Arrangement.—Alternate, simple; sometimes opposite,             decussate.         -   Immature leaf, color upper surface.—RHS 143A.         -   Immature leaf, color lower surface.—RHS 144A.         -   Mature leaf, color upper surface.—RHS 138A.         -   Mature leaf, color lower surface.—RHS 137C.         -   Length.—3.5-5 cm.         -   Width.—3.5-5 cm.         -   Shape.—Ovate.         -   Base shape.—Shortly Attenuate.         -   Apex shape.—Acute.         -   Margin.—Entire.         -   Texture, upper surface.—Densely covered with short hair.         -   Lower surface.—Densely covered with short hairs.         -   Color of veins, upper surface.—RHS 144A.         -   Color of veins, lower surface.—RHS 144A.         -   Petiole color.—RHS 144A.         -   Length.—0.1 cm.         -   Diameter.—0.2 cm.         -   Petiole texture.—Densely covered with short hairs. -   Stem:     -   -   Quantity of main branches per plant.—4-5.         -   Color of stem.—RHS 144A.         -   Length of stem.—25 cm.         -   Diameter.—0.3 cm.         -   Length of internodes.—1.5-3.0 cm.         -   Texture.—Dense, mostly glandular short hairs.         -   Color of pedicel.—RHS 146C.         -   Length of pedicel.—1.0 cm.         -   Diameter of pedicel.—0.2 cm.         -   Texture of pedicel.—Densely covered with short hairs. -   Inflorescence:     -   -   Type.—Flowers solitary in upper leaf axis.         -   Floret type.—Funnel-shaped; 5 lobed petals; fused at base.         -   Blooming habit.—Medium early flowering in greenhouse,             flowering throughout the summer months.         -   Quantity of inflorescences per plant.—Approximately 30.         -   Lastingness of individual blooms on the plant.—About 7 days.         -   Fragrance.—Rather strong smell. -   Bud (just when opening):     -   -   Color.—RHS N57B at top, RHS 145A with a hue of RHS 57C near             base.         -   Length.—3.5 cm.         -   Width.—0.8 cm.         -   Shape.—Oblong. -   Immature inflorescence:     -   -   Flower horizontal diameter.—3.6 cm.         -   Color petals, upper surface.—RHS N57B.         -   Color petals, lower surface.—RHS N57B. -   Mature flower:     -   -   Flower horizontal diameter.—6.5 cm.         -   Flower height (vertical).—3.5 cm.         -   Color upper surface.—RHS N57C, RHS 23B towards centre of             flower.         -   Color lower surface.—RHS N57B.         -   Apex shape.—Acuminate.         -   Margin.—Entire.         -   Waviness of margin.—Medium.         -   Petal lobation.—Medium.         -   Petal texture, upper surface.—Smooth.         -   Petal texture, lower surface.—Smooth, occasionally a short             hair.         -   Corolla tube color outside.—RHS 145C.         -   Corolla tube color inside.—RHS 178A.         -   Conspicuousness of veins in tube.—Medium.         -   Corolla tube length.—2.4 cm.         -   Corolla tube texture, outside.—Rather dense and short             glandular hairs.         -   Corolla tube texture, inside.—Glabrous. -   Calyx:     -   -   Color of sepal, upper surface.—RHS 146A.         -   Color of sepal, lower surface.—RHS 146A.         -   Length.—1.6 cm.         -   Width.—0.3 cm.         -   Shape.—Ensiform.         -   Apex shape.—Acute.         -   Base.—Fused.         -   Margins.—Entire.         -   Texture, upper surface.—Densely covered with short glandular             hairs.         -   Lower surface.—Densely covered with short glandular hairs. -   Reproductive organs:     -   -   Pistil.—1.         -   Length.—2.2 cm.         -   Style color.—RHS 145C.         -   Style length.—1.9 cm.         -   Stigma color.—RHS 145A.         -   Stamens.—         -   Quantity per flower.—5.         -   Color of filaments.—RHS 157B.         -   Length filaments.—1.8 cm.         -   Anther color.—RHS 2D.         -   Anther length.—0.3 cm.         -   Anther shape.—Elliptical.         -   Color of pollen.—RHS 158B.         -   Pollen amount.—Abundant.         -   Fertility/seed set.—Has not been observed on this hybrid.         -   Disease/pest resistance.—Has not been observed on this             hybrid. 

What is claimed is:
 1. A new and distinct variety of Petunia plant named ‘PEHY0053’ substantially as illustrated and described herein. 